Hey Papa,
How did it handle? Well, once I got it trimmed (which, by the way didn't require too much work), it seemed to do OK. I think minimal down-thrust is a good idea with this setup because it did want to gain altitude going straight at about 1/3 throttle. I think I had about 1 degree or so and will probably add more. Honestly, I'm pretty much of a beginner pilot, so my frame of reference may be a bit skewed- I flew my dad's telemaster 40 about 15 years ago when I was 15 or so and remember it being a lot more gentle and slow than what I flew yesterday. However, I will say that the Eaglet was pretty maneuverable, albeit a bit touchy, and it certainly wanted to lose altitude in a hurry on the turns. But that's pretty much what it did when it had the Super Tigre .29 on board. Actually, in its first incarnation, it flew with an Enya .15, again about 15 yrs ago, and I remember that it was quite underpowered. This time I didn't get around to trying any tricks- I was afraid the wing would come off- I pretty much approached this time out as a reintroduction to piloting. I used full throttle only on takeoff. As for the landing gear, I HIGHLY recommend that you replace it with something that will give you more clearance. I was convinced of that after the first landing when the plane skipped on the blacktop and snapped the prop off. So, to sum up, if you are like me with only one plane and one engine (and they don't really match up), I say go for it! Just be ready to break the sound barrier when you land...hehehe. Good luck, and have a good time. I certainly did!